A DEPRESSED man who scaled a block of flats in Guildford and threatened to jump off has been labelled a "childish attention seeker" by a judge.

Michael King, 25, climbed onto the roof of flats in Onslow Street, above the Friary shopping centre, in the early hours of December 12 last year.

He spent nearly four hours up there and destroyed aerials and satellite dishes before firefighters and a police negotiator finally coaxed him down.

King admitted two charges of criminal damage and affray at Guildford Crown Court last Friday (January 21).

Describing the circumstances, prosecutor Iestyn Morgan told the court: "The incident started at 1.30am when the defendant was up on the roof threatening to commit suicide.

"When a police officer arrived, the defendant used offensive language towards him, and when he was asked what he was doing, he began to kick and smash television aerials, breaking them in the process."

King’s antics carried on for several hours, with police and firefighters cordoning off the area to make sure passing pedestrians were not hurt by any falling debris.

At one point he threw a concrete block attached to a large satellite dish into the road below, only minutes after police had taped off the area.

Mr Morgan added: "Officers arrived and were concerned about a potential danger to members of the public since a number of nightclubs discharge into that area."

King, of no fixed abode, had been released from prison just weeks beforehand and has a history of mental health problems, the court heard.

He has appeared before the courts on several occasions over the past few years, with numerous convictions for shoplifting, dishonesty, burglary and arson.

He has previously had stays at the Farnham Road Hospital in Guildford, the York Road hostel in Woking and Brookwood Hospital.

"Refused to listen"

Stuart Western, mitigating, said King had been living rough in the days leading up to the dramatic incident.

"When he went to the roof his intention was to commit suicide.

"He thought he was being laughed at and that’s the reason why he did what he did."

"He had a very troubled upbringing," added Mr Western.

"He has been in and out of care for nine years of his life."

Sentencing King to 12 months in prison, Recorder Rajeev Shetty said his actions were both a "cry for help" and "attention-seeking".

He said: "I accept it wasn’t your intention to harm anyone but when police came you refused to listen to any reason and carried on with this violent escapade.

"Your violence has persisted for a number of years and there is no sign it’s going to abate.

"These cries for help were a feature of this case, but [it was] also childish, attention-seeking behaviour, which sooner or later you’re going to have to accept responsibility for."

King received a 12-month sentence for affray, to run concurrently with a two-month sentence for criminal damage, minus 39 days already spent on remand.